I also recommend Linux Mint. It's been hands down the best experience of all the Linux distros I've tried.

The installation is done with a USB stick. In short, you download the Linux iso image and create a bootable USB stick with a software. In Windows I have always used Rufus for that.

The Linux installer gives you a choise to wipe everything and install Linux. Installing Mint has always been very straight forward.

I can't comment on hardware since I've only used Linux on +5 year old laptops. They seem to work fine.

There most likely will be many new things that can feel confusing in the beginning, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. There also are tons of good tutorials of everything.

Best of luck to your Linux project!

Thank you.

It's interesting to read about your practice and experiences. I was gravitating towards similar direction, but wanted to know how the others have done it. My infrequent meditation practice so far has been just mindfully observing breathing, so I felt unsure what to do with Flower Fresh.

It also felt surprisingly effective just to silently reapeat the verse once breathing in and out while I was listening to the audiobook.

Thank you.

Your message and the replies to it got me reflecting my own experiences and I decided to share my thoughts in the hope that you or someone else might find some solace in them.

Everything you write seems so familiar to me. For a long time I was trying to change things in my life, but everything always seemed too difficult to actualize. If I found something exciting enough to get involved, I tried to start it going all in with big expectations. That lead mostly to dissapointment and pain.

However, I have been able to make some changes by starting small. Instead of making big changes, I have been trying to condense the big ideas to something so small and manageable that I can start experimenting right away.

For example I noticed that my mental wellbeing was getting worse because I was basically lying on the sofa all the time. I used to love running so I started contemplating getting back to it. With enough brooding and frustration I decided to go out and run for 30 seconds. It was impossible to come up with with any good excuses not to do it right away. I couldn't find my training shoes or suitable clothing so I just went out and ran I jeans and crappy Chinese tennis shoes. The next day I did the same thing and even had motivation to find more suitable clothing. Slowly I was able to add time and make it a recurring habit that has helped me to feel a bit better and strive for a healtier life. I have been able to use the same mindset in many other things

I'm not sure if starting new things is difficult for you, but if they are, starting small and progressing slowly might be the answer. In any case I recommend trying out a hobby that gets you moving. It is so much easier to deal with all the other crap in life after getting some excercise.

There are many good suggestions in the other replies. You seem to like the idea of camping. It is almost certainly impossible for you to go camping right away. Instead you could find a nearest hiking trail and just walk a little and sit around without any electronic devices for a while. If the trails are too far away maybe try to find any public forest nearby or a park. Try to find something simple that you can do as soon as possible. I gets your thoughts towards the bigger goal. You can also notice practical things that help you to plan forward.

So if your mind tries to make barriers to stop you from changing you life for the better, lower the barriers by deconstructing them so low that you can slide over them. Start small. Progress slowly. Celebrate every small accomplishment as a victory over the past.

Noticing your situation, being able to express it in writing and reaching out with your message are good steps in the right direction. I hope you find all the things you need to make your life more enjoyable.